To Build A Home
by Marauders4EVR
Summary: A simple raid at 12 Grimmauld Place ends up changing the lives of two families as Mr. Potter finds an injured child and his terrified brother. The Potters take Sirius and Regulus in and the brothers soon realize that there's a difference between a house and a home.
1. Chapter 1

To Build A Home

Summary: A simple raid at 12 Grimmauld Place ends up changing the lives of two families as Mr. Potter finds an injured child and his terrified brother. The Potters take Sirius and Regulus in and the brothers soon realize that there's a difference between a house and a home.

_This is a place where I don't feel alone…_

_This is a place where I feel at home…_

Chapter One

The day started off like any other.

Mr. Potter happily ruffled his son's hair before giving his wife a peck on the cheek. She flushed, as she always did, and asked if he could stop at the Apothecary to pick up some herbs before he came home. He said that he would and added that he was just doing raids today—that it should only take a few hours. He then told his son that the two of them could fly around on their brooms after dinner, weather permitting. He briefly considered taking the day off so that he and James could spend all day flying. He decided against it. It wasn't worth the row with Fudge. And so, he grabbed his briefcase, gave his wife another peck, and Apparated away.

He landed right in his cubicle and was amused to see that the other Aurors were already there, waiting for his orders.

"Sorry," Mr. Potter apologized, "Elizabeth made pancakes."

"And you think that excuse your tardiness?" Alastor Moody growled.

"Ah," Mr. Potter slyly aid, "But they were banana nut pancakes."

"Well, that's different then," Moody snorted, "Any extras?"

"In a tin on the counter," Mr. Potter replied, "Stop by for dinner and I'll give you some to take home. We're having meatloaf."

"I'll take you up on that," Moody agreed.

Mr. Potter beamed before suddenly becoming very professional, "Alright, men! You all have your itineraries. Move out!"

"Yes, sir!"

He proudly smiled as many of the Aurors Apparated away. Two of them stayed behind, aiming to go with him.

They would be visiting the Black family at 12 Grimmauld Place today. Mr. Potter had heard about the Blacks' reputation but he had never dealt with them personally. He hoped that they would be reasonable.

A few moments later, he watched as the house unfolded itself before his very eyes.

He climbed the front steps and smartly knocked on the door.

It flew open to reveal an angry house-elf.

He surveyed Mr. Potter for a moment before snapping, "Yes?"

"Is the owner of the household present?" Mr. Potter professionally asked.

The house-elf's frown deepened and he spat, "Who wants to know?"

"My name is Benjamin Potter," Mr. Potter quietly explained, "I am a Lieutenant at the Auror Office at the Ministry for Magic. This is a surprise raid."

He held up both his shield and the warrant.

"MISTRESS!"

Mr. Potter jumped at the house-elf's frantic shriek.

A woman hurried into the foyer and pushed the elf aside. She would have been quite beautiful, with a flawless complexion, ebony hair, and a beautiful set of dress robes. Yet her face seemed to be pulled into a ugly scowl.

Sure enough, her tone was less than pleasant as she snapped, "What do you want!?"

Mr. Potter repeated his statement, held up the evidence, and added, "Are you Walburga?"

"I am," Walburga declared, "And you have no right to enter my house!"

"As previously stated," Mr. Potter patiently said, "This is a surprise raid."

"We didn't receive any notification!"

"Yes," Mr. Potter agreed, "That's why it's called a 'surprise raid'."

For a moment, she looked like she was going to slam the door.

At long last, she snapped, "Fine! We have nothing to hide!"

Mr. Potter entered the parlor and quickly performed several spells. He came to the conclusion that the parlor was clean, though there was definitely evidence that dark magic _may _have occurred here. Unfortunately, unless he found solid evidence, he couldn't make an arrest.

He made his way upstairs, routinely checking every room. The other two Aurors did the same, bagging and tagging any evidence that they found.

Mr. Potter finally made it to the fourth floor.

He opened the door on the left and gave a start.

It was a bedroom and it was not unoccupied.

A boy was sitting on the bed.

He couldn't have been older than five; maybe six. His skin was very light. Mr. Potter was pale himself, but he could see the blue veins beneath this boy's skin. The boy had a thin face—perhaps a bit too thin—with fine features. There was not a single black hair out of place. His eyes were silver and dull. Mr. Potter immediately thought of James. His hazel eyes were always sparkling with adventure. Every child's eyes should have a spark. And yet, here the boy sat, looking absolutely miserable. Mr. Potter realized that this could be attributed to the boy's scratchy clothes. Despite the summer heat, the boy was wearing heavy dress robes.

"Hello," Mr. Potter cheerfully said, "My name is Benjamin Potter. I'm an Auror."

He took out his badge and handed it over. The boy's eyes momentarily sparkled with curiosity. He then tossed it away, as though it burned his hands.

Mr. Potter picked it up, befuddled, before gently asking for the boy's name.

The boy didn't provide one and instead continued to sit in silence.

Mr. Potter knelt down next to him and whispered, "Can you speak?"

The boy stared at him but made no attempt to respond.

"Bite your tongue, boy!"

Both the boy and Mr. Potter jumped at the hiss.

Mr. Potter leapt to his feet and turned.

A man was standing in the doorway. He was tall with broad shoulders. His black hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail. Like his wife and son, he was wearing dress robes. Yet, Mr. Potter hardly cared about what he was wearing. He was too focused on the man's expression.

Orion Black looked furious.

"He hasn't said a word," Mr. Potter coolly pointed out, "Not one."

Orion surveyed him for a moment before nodding.

His tone was slightly calmer as he asked, "Are you finished?"

Mr. Potter hesitated. There was no trace of dark magic in the bedroom. He would send the Magical Child Protective Services a tip for good measure. Just in case…

But yes, at the moment, he was finished.

He nodded and Orion quietly said, "I'll show you out."

He turned on his heel and stomped away.

Mr. Potter sighed and went to follow him.

At that moment, however, someone tugged at his sleeve.

He looked down and realized that the boy was pointedly staring at him.

"What is it?" Mr. Potter whispered.

The boy said nothing.

Instead, he lifted a shaky finger and pointed to the door across the corridor.

Mr. Potter glanced back and forth before murmuring, "Do you want me to go in there?"

The boy nodded and sat back down on the bed.

Mr. Potter curiously went over to the door and turned the doorknob.

It didn't budge.

"Oi," Orion snapped, "You keep out of there! You're not allowed to enter locked rooms!"

Spoken like a man who was used to the raiding process.

Unfortunately, Mr. Potter had to reluctantly agree.

He would need a stronger warrant to search that room.

Unless…

He could hear something from behind the door.

He strained his ears…

It was faint but there was no mistaking it.

Somebody was whimpering in pain.

"Alohamora!" Mr. Potter cried, slashing his wand through the air.

The door flew open and he hurried inside.

He found himself standing in another bedroom.

A lump stirred beneath the blanket on the bed. Black hair fanned the pillow. It was matted with dirt and grease. Could this be the boy's sister?

No. As Mr. Potter drew closer, he realized that it was another boy. He looked slightly older than the boy in the bedroom. His eyes were tightly closed, his mouth pulled into a frown.

His cheeks were raw.

"Are you alright?" Mr. Potter whispered.

He reached up and gently rested his hand against the boy's forehead.

He woke with a retched scream. Mr. Potter leapt back but the boy continued to cry in agony. Tears spilled down his face and he rolled right off of the bed.

"There, there!" Mr. Potter cried, "It's alright."

The boy curled into a ball, shaking and moaning.

"What ails you, child?" Mr. Potter asked, "What's wrong?"

He was in too much pain to speak. All at once, he fell limp. Mr. Potter cried out in shock and knelt down next to him, quickly checking for a pulse. There was one, though it was weak.

He scooped one arm beneath the boys' knees and wrapped the other arm around his shoulders. He took a deep breath before jumping to his feet, carefully cradling the child.

"Lieutenant Potter?"

The two other Aurors entered the room, waiting for a command.

"This boy needs to be taken to the hospital at once," Mr. Potter declared.

His apprentice—Kingsley Shacklebolt—nodded. The man was in his early twenties and had only been a member of Mr. Potter's division for six months. He was always quick to side with Mr. Potter, especially when children were involved.

Unfortunately, John Dawlish—a man in his mid-thirties—hesitated. He cleared his throat and said, "Sir, you need a court-order to remove a child from his home."

"There's no time," Mr. Potter remarked, "He's fading away. I'll Apparate him to St. Mungo's. I want you and Shacklebolt to finish securing this house."

"Yes, Lieutenant," Kingsley immediately replied.

John hesitated before saying, "Yes, Lieutenant."

Kingsley abruptly spoke up, "Sir…"

He jerked his head towards the doorway and Mr. Potter realized that the other child was standing there, worriedly gazing at him.

"Come here, child," Mr. Potter softly said.

The boy hesitated before racing forward.

"Your brother is going to be fine," Mr. Potter assuredly said, "I'm going to take him to the hospital. If you hold onto my elbow, I'll take you with me."

The boy hesitated before reaching up and holding onto him.

"Hold on tightly," Mr. Potter warned, "Don't let go. Alright?"

The boy nodded and Mr. Potter turned on the spot.

The two landed on a sterile floor in the middle of a hospital ward. The boy stumbled away from Mr. Potter, his eyes wide with shock.

"Help!" Mr. Potter barked, "Help this child!"

Several Healers raced over.

One conjured a stretcher and Mr. Potter gently set the injured boy down. He was whisked away almost immediately.

His brother charged forward, alarmed yet still speechless.

Mr. Potter caught him and gently said, "It's okay. He's going to be okay."

Unfortunately, the boy burst into tears.

Mr. Potter tightly hugged him and whispered, "There, there."

The boy glanced up at him, his eyes saying what words couldn't.

"I'm not going to leave," Mr. Potter assuredly said, "I promise."

And Mr. Potter always kept his promises.

Author's Note: Let me start off by saying that I've had this idea for a while! I really love writing stories about children, especially Sirius and Regulus. As of right now, Sirius is almost seven and Regulus is five. The story will follow the next five years of their lives. There are a lot of sappy moments, a lot of happy moments, and some dramatic moments. The point-of-view is going to be fairly flexible. Unlike Blackbird, where I had the odd chapters be from Sirius' POV and the even chapters be from Regulus' POV, this story is going to be from a third-person POV that focuses on different characters as the scene permits.

Without giving too much away, I promise that there will be a happy ending to this story! But honestly, it doesn't matter if I reveal the ending. After all, this story is about the journey!


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: I'm so sorry for the short delay. My laptop finally died and a large snow storm trapped me in my dormitory for a week. To make up for the delay, I have three chapters!

Chapter Two

Mr. Potter was renowned for being a calm and patient man.

He rarely got angry.

He rarely was impolite.

He rarely even swore.

Yet, at the moment, he was thinking of several choice words.

He handed his handkerchief to the teary-eyed Healer. She had just informed him that somebody had used the Cruciartus Curse on the eldest child.

The two were standing in the boy's hospital room.

The boy had been wheeled in several minutes ago. He was now sleeping in a bed that was too large for him. In fact, everything about the room seemed to be too large for a child. The child had not yet stirred. Then again, his Healer had poured a sleeping potion down his throat.

"How many times?" Mr. Potter asked, "How many times was he cursed?"

His voice was shaking.

The Healer took a deep breath and whispered, "At least half a dozen."

Mr. Potter was so furious that he didn't even hear someone come up behind him.

Therefore, he jumped when someone growled, "Alright, Potter?"

Mr. Potter turned and saw that the voice belonged to Alastor Moody. He briefly wondered what Moody was doing here before realizing that he _had_ broken protocol. He had no doubt that Fudge had sent Moody along to collect him, though it seemed that Moody had no intention of doing so.

"I want Orion and Walburga Black arrested," Mr. Potter quietly said, "And charged with child abuse, child negligence, child endangerment, and the use of an Unforgivable Curse."

"I'll send them straight to Azkaban," Moody retorted.

Mr. Potter appreciatively smiled and said, "No, take them to the holding cells at the Ministry first. I've already broken enough protocol today."

"Speaking of," Moody agreed, "Fudge is looking for you."

"I figured," Mr. Potter sighed, "What does he want?"

"Your head served on a golden platter," Moody wryly replied, "I haven't seen him this angry in a while. 'Says that he should charge you for kidnapping."

"That's a bit of an overreaction, don't you think?" Mr. Potter lightly replied, "But very well. Do you think he'll charge me before or after he has my head served on a golden platter?"

Moody chuckled before saying, "Fudge knows that charging you with anything is basically asking for a mutiny. I'd walk out, Kingsley would walk out…Not to mention Thompson, Igoe, Hendrix, the Prewetts, Murphy…"

"And I appreciate that, old friend," Mr. Potter interjected, "But you know that I would never ask for it."

"And you know that you would never need to," Moody retorted.

Mr. Potter gratefully smiled.

"Anyway," Moody continued, "Where's the boy's brother?"

"In the waiting room," Mr. Potter explained, "I've been with him all day. He's a mess."

"Has he talked yet?"

Mr. Potter shook his head.

"When were you planning on contacting MCPS?"

Mr. Potter sighed.

He should have contacted them hours ago.

Yet, something had stopped him.

Even if a competent agent had been assigned to the boys, they would have still sent the youngest child to one of the group homes for wizarding children.

The poor child had been through quite enough already.

"I've broken protocol already," Mr. Potter thoughtfully said, "What's a little more…"

"That's the spirit," Moody chuckled, "I suppose that you're going to stay here?"

Mr. Potter nodded and said, "I don't want to leave them alone. I've sent a message to James and Elizabeth. They understand."

In fact, his family had been more than understanding.

He and Moody talked for a few more minutes about the formal charges that would be placed upon Orion and Walburga Black. The Auror then Apparated away with the promise that he would tell Fudge some cockamamie lie about why he couldn't bring Mr. Potter in.

Mr. Potter walked back down to the waiting room and saw that the child was curled up on one of the hard chairs. His eyes were red and puffy.

"Come here," Mr. Potter gently said.

He sat down and pulled the boy into his lap.

The boy gave a stifling yawn.

Mr. Potter thought back to a song that he had heard his grandmother sing.

He tightly held the child and sang:

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Hush now don't you cry!_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, That's an Irish lul-la-by…_

The boy had begun to softly snore.

Mr. Potter smiled.

He sat with the sleeping child for several hours, nearly dozing off himself.

At a quarter past three, he heard someone excitedly whisper his name.

A matron raced up the corridor and quickly gushed, "The eldest child is awake."

Mr. Potter gently set the boy onto the chair, leapt to his feet, and importantly followed the matron. He entered the room and saw that the boy was sitting up, blinking as his eyes tried to adjust to the bright lights. They widened and he craned his neck to look round. His breathing escalated as he realized that he was in a strange place.

"Hush," Mr. Potter gently said, "You're alright."

The boy, having just realized that he was there, now glanced at him.

He swallowed before whispering, "You're the man from earlier…"

Well, at least he could talk!

That was a relief.

"Yes," Mr. Potter agreed, "My name is Benjamin Potter. I'm an Auror."

He quickly turned to one of the matrons and added, "Please send word to the Auror Office that Kingsley Shacklebolt is needed immediately."

She nodded and raced way.

The boy swallowed and whispered, "Where am I?"

"You're at the hospital—"

As soon as the words escaped Mr. Potter's lips, the other matrons pushed past him and began to check the boy's vitals. They pried his eyes open and used the light at the tip of their wands to check them. They then checked his nostrils and poked around in his mouth.

Mr. Potter talked over them, "Can you tell me your name?"

"I'm…"

The boy trailed off and abruptly cried, "Regulus!"

"Your name is Regulus?" Mr. Potter asked.

The boy shook his head and frantically said, "Regulus is my brother! Is he okay?"

Mr. Potter immediately understood.

He assured the boy that there was nothing to worry about before ducking into the corridor and going down to the waiting room. The boy, Regulus, had woken up. He was anxiously kicking his feet and biting his nail. No…as he looked closer, Mr. Potter realized that the poor boy was sucking his thumb.

"Regulus?"

The boy flushed and his hand immediately fell into his lap.

Mr. Potter gave him the kindest of smiles as he said, "Your brother is awake."

Regulus stared at him for a few seconds before his face broke out into a smile. He leapt up and raced in front of Mr. Potter.

He peered around the corner of his brother's room before crying, "Sirius!"

Mr. Potter gave a start as the small boy leapt onto the bed and threw his arms around his older brother's neck. The older brother, Sirius, folded his arms around Regulus and tightly hugged him.

"So," Mr. Potter softly said, "Sirius and Regulus."

The brothers looked up at their names, like loyal dogs.

"Regulus, can you talk?" Mr. Potter asked.

Regulus shook his head.

"He can talk," Sirius spoke up in a small voice, "He's just afraid."

"Of what?"

"Mother," Sirius squeaked, "She told us…that we couldn't talk to any Aurors or Ministry Officials…unless she says so."

His eyes widened at his own words and he lowered his head.

Mr. Potter gently said his name.

Sirius looked up, silent and scared.

Mr. Potter was just able to refrain a groan. He couldn't have the boy clam up now; they were just beginning to make progress. And yet, the poor boy refused to say another word. He was biting his lip and his jaw was trembling.

"Sirius," Mr. Potter whispered, "Can I tell you a secret?"

Sirius' eyes briefly sparkled.

Mr. Potter leaned forward and said, "I'm not going to tell your mother anything."

"She'll find out," Sirius miserably replied.

He clamped a hand over his mouth before scowling.

"No," Mr. Potter assuredly said, "She won't ever have to find out."

Sirius still looked uncertain.

"I promise," Mr. Potter continued, "I promise that she won't. Now, listen…I want to help you both. But I cannot do that unless you talk to me."

Sirius slowly lowered his hand.

"Sirius, no!" Regulus fearfully whispered.

"Do we have to go back there?" Sirius asked.

Mr. Potter's heart went out to the boy. His voice was so tiny; so fragile. Mr. Potter was reminded of the glass owl figurine that he had received for his birthday. It was beautiful and yet could break at any moment.

And the question itself…

Most children would ask if they _could_ go back or _when_. And yet, Sirius was asking if they _had_ to. Children only asked that if they were trying to avoid something. Do I have to finish my vegetables? Do I have to clean my room? Do I have to go home?

"If you don't want to," Mr. Potter slowly said, "Then I will do everything in my power to make sure that you don't. But only if you don't want to."

Sirius and Regulus glanced at one another.

_POP!_

Mr. Potter glanced behind him and saw that Kingsley was standing in the corridor.

"Now," Mr. Potter softly said, "I'm going to ask you a few questions. My friend is going to come in and listen, just to make sure that I don't miss anything. I'm getting on a bit and my hearing isn't what it used to be."

The boys' mouths twitched.

Kingsley entered and gave the boys a kind smile. He would serve as a witness to the interview. He had a piece of parchment and a quill hidden away in his bag. The quill would automatically write anything that was said.

"I'm not saying anything," Regulus spoke up.

"That's fine," Mr. Potter assuredly said, "You don't have to talk, right now. And Sirius, should you feel uncomfortable with any question, you simply need to tell me and we will move on. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

Mr. Potter smiled at the formality and said, "Let's start with your full names."

"My name is Sirius Orion Black," Sirius whispered, "My brother's name is Regulus Arcturus Black."

"Very good," Mr. Potter praised, "How old are you?"

"Six," Sirius murmured, "Six and ten months."

"Your birthday is in October?" Mr. Potter asked, quickly doing the math.

Sirius nodded and replied, "October 22nd."

"What about Regulus?"

"His birthday is February 27th," Sirius replied, "He's five."

"Five and six months," Regulus corrected.

He then clamped a hand over his mouth.

"So," Mr. Potter declared, "You're one year and four months older than Regulus."

"I…I suppose," Sirius agreed.

"Very good," Mr. Potter praised, "Now…do you know your mother's name?"

"Walburga."

"Do you know your father's name?"

"Orion," Sirius grunted, "My middle name is his first name."

Mr. Potter made a mental note that Sirius sounded upset at the mention of his parents.

He gently pried, "Sirius, I brought you into the hospital because somebody hexed you with a very bad hex. Do you know what that hex is?"

Sirius stared at the white hospital blanket for a moment before whispering, "I…I can't say it, sir. It's illegal."

Mr. Potter smiled and gently said, "It's okay. I give you permission."

Sirius swallowed before mumbling, "They…they used the Cruciartus Curse."

The mere fact that a six-year-old would know what the Cruciartus Curse was was enough for a lump to form in Mr. Potter's throat.

"Yes, that's right," Mr. Potter softly said, "Who used the curse, Sirius?"

"They both did," Sirius shakily explained, "Mother and Father. I…I…"

He hesitated before whispering, "I broke a vase."

Regulus' head shot up.

"And they were mad," Sirius continued, "They were really mad."

Tears leapt up in his eyes and he croaked, "Can we stop?"

"Of course," Mr. Potter immediately replied.

He leapt to his feet and crossed the room, putting his arm around the boy's shoulders.

"Sirius," Mr. Potter gently said, "I want you to know that you did nothing wrong."

"But I…"

"Nothing you did warrants what they did."

"Huh?"

Mr. Potter thought about his words very carefully before saying, "Nobody should ever use the Cruciartus Curse…especially on a child…no matter what. Alright?"

Sirius nodded.

At that moment, John entered the room and quickly said, "Lieutenant Potter, Colonel Fudge is furious. He wants you to report to the office immediately."

Mr. Potter sighed and said, "Very well."

"You're leaving?" Sirius worriedly asked.

"I'm afraid so," Mr. Potter replied, "But don't worry. Kingsley will stay with you."

He glanced at his young ward, who gave a sharp nod in return.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Mr. Potter said, "In the meantime, try to get some rest."

"What about Regulus?" Sirius asked.

Mr. Potter turned to Regulus, who was staring at a spot on the floor.

"Regulus," Mr. Potter gently said, "You may stay here with your brother. However, I must ask that you stay in the room unless I say otherwise. Is that a deal?"

He silently nodded.

Mr. Potter and John ducked into the corridor.

John turned on the spot and Apparated away.

"Mr. Potter?"

Mr. Potter turned, shocked at the small voice.

Regulus was standing in the doorway of the room, looking exceptionally worried.

"Regulus, what's wrong?" Mr. Potter cried.

"May I come out?" Regulus whispered.

Mr. Potter chuckled and nodded.

The boy raced over to him. He then grabbed Mr. Potter's sleeve and dragged him down the corridor, much to the Auror's bemusement.

Mr. Potter crouched down and gently asked, "Regulus, what is it?"

His bottom lip quivered and he whispered, "I know that it's…it's bad to lie to Aurors."

"Yes, it is," Mr. Potter agreed.

Regulus sniffed. His lips and cheeks were becoming remarkably red. Mr. Potter immediately knew that he was about to cry.

"Sirius lied."

Mr. Potter blinked, shocked at Regulus' statement. He thought that Sirius had been quite honest with him. And now, Regulus was saying otherwise.

Mr. Potter opened his mouth to ask what he had lied about.

Regulus beat him to it.

"I was the one who broke the vase!" Regulus blurted out.

The tears immediately began to spill and his chest rose and fell.

Within seconds, the poor boy was sobbing.

"Hey," Mr. Potter gently said, "Hey."

He opened his arms and Regulus ran forward. Mr. Potter grunted as the child flung his arms around his neck and rested his chin on his bony shoulder. Mr. Potter folded his arms around the crying boy and tightly hugged him.

"I was playing!" Regulus bawled, "I was pretending that…I…was…a Quidditch player…and…and I wasn't looking…and…and I ran right into it!"

"Sssh," Mr. Potter murmured, "It's okay. Don't cry, Regulus. Please, don't…"

"And…it…it wobbled back and forth," Regulus wailed, "I thought that it wasn't going to fall…b…but it did! It fell to the floor and smashed into a million pieces! S…Sirius came running and…and then so did my parents…but Sirius got there first."

Mr. Potter continued to hold him and murmur words of comfort.

Regulus took several deep breaths before miserably finishing, "Sirius took the blame. He told them that he was the one who broke it. A…and then they…"

The tears escalated once more and he blubbered, "It's my fault."

"No…" Mr. Potter whispered, "This isn't your fault…"

He released Regulus and took his handkerchief from his pocket. He wiped the boy's eyes and held it over his nose until he blew. The poor boy was a wreck. Mr. Potter couldn't blame him. Sirius had taken the blame for something that he had done, and had ended up facing severe consequences for it. And yet…

"Regulus, listen to me," Mr. Potter gently said, "This is not your fault. Your parents did a very bad thing to Sirius. It's _their_ fault that he's in the hospital."

He internally kicked himself. He normally never liked bashing parents in front of children, even if the parents were truly horrid.

Regulus wiped his eyes with the back of his arm and muttered, "He's going to hate me."

"No, he won't," Mr. Potter promised.

"Yes, he will!" Regulus insisted.

Mr. Potter gave him a warm smile and said, "Listen…Sirius loves you. It's obvious that he loves you. You were the first person that he asked for when he woke up."

"Really?" Regulus asked.

"Really."

Regulus' face broke out into a smile.

"Do you need anything else before I go?" Mr. Potter asked.

Regulus thought about it for a moment before embarrassedly whispering, "Can you sing that song again?"

Mr. Potter smiled and said, "Of course."

He took Regulus back into the room.

Sirius was sleepily laughing at Kingsley's joke.

"Do you boys know any jokes?" Kingsley asked.

"Tons," Sirius eagerly replied.

"Too bad Mother and Father don't like them," Regulus muttered.

Sirius briefly frowned before saying, "Well…Mother and Father aren't here!"

He glanced at Mr. Potter and asked, "What do the house-elves learn at Hogwarts?"

"I don't know," Mr. Potter amusedly said.

Sirius grinned and cried, "The elf-abet."

Mr. Potter and Kingsley both let out a hearty laugh.

Even Regulus looked considerably happier.

He climbed onto the bed and snuggled up next to his brother.

Mr. Potter warmly smiled at them and sang:

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Hush now don't you cry…_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Cornelius Fudge was a marvelous shade of purple.

Mr. Potter steadied himself, having just Apparated into the lavish office.

The Head of the Auror Office was furiously pacing back and forth. He didn't even acknowledge Mr. Potter's presence. Mr. Potter glanced at the other people in the room.

Moody seemed to be the only one enjoying himself. John was giving him a reprimanding look, as was the woman standing next to him.

"Potter," Moody exclaimed, "There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Mr. Potter swallowed a chuckle. He didn't want to give Fudge an aneurism.

"What kept you?" John quietly asked.

"A lullaby," Mr. Potter replied.

Fudge looked up at this and spluttered, "W…what?"

"I was singing the children a lullaby," Mr. Potter explained.

"Why?" Fudge exclaimed.

Mr. Potter blinked before saying, "Because Regulus asked me to. I assume that you got Kingsley's transcript of the interview?"

"Yes, yes," Fudge agreed, "Where is Shacklebolt anyway?"

"With the boys," Mr. Potter explained, "I didn't want them to be left alone."

"Do you think that they're in danger?" Fudge asked.

"Not exactly," Mr. Potter admitted, "But I do know that they're scared and confused."

Fudge surveyed him for a moment.

At long last, he said, "Potter, you have been an Auror for nearly thirty years. In that time, you have been a remarkable worker."

He paused and Mr. Potter slowly said, "Thank y—"

"And now," Fudge interjected, "It seems that you have become _such _a remarkable worker that you are taking over the tasks of other offices."

He gestured to the woman and continued, "This is Donna Piper. She is the Head of the Magical Child Protective Services. And she's wondering—as am I—why you seem to have taken it upon yourself to decide what is best for these two children?"

"I acknowledge that I broke protocol," Mr. Potter resignedly said, "And I apologize. I merely wanted to do what was best for Sirius and Regulus. Sirius was in critical condition. I had no choice but to remove him from the house. I could not wait for a warrant."

"And why didn't you contact us after you got to the hospital?" Ms. Piper spoke up, "The youngest child should have been taken to a home!"

"Which is exactly why I didn't contact you," Mr. Potter admitted, "And once again, I apologize for this breach of protocol. It was my professional judgment that Regulus would have been even more upset if he had been taken away. You should have seen the look on his face when he realized that Sirius was awake…the way he hugged him…"

"Well," Fudge spoke up, "Now that he knows that his brother's alright, I think that it's safe to transport the youngest child to a home."

"Now who's trying to do MCPS's job?" Moody growled.

Fudge gave him a quelling glance but Moody didn't so much as blink.

"From what Lieutenant Potter has said," Ms. Piper thoughtfully spoke up, "It seems that the brothers would be better off sticking together. In cases of an abused child with no other guardians able to be present, St. Mungo's will act as a guardian ad litem of sorts—the Healers and matrons will all look after the child. Or, in this case, children. It's going to take quite a bit of paperwork and a few clever loopholes…but…I don't see why we can't push a bed into Sirius' room for Regulus."

Mr. Potter could have hugged her.

"Fine," Fudge quietly said, "But if the hospital staff is looking after the boys, I see no reason why one of my Aurors is there."

"Sirius and Regulus are scared and confused," Mr. Potter patiently said, "I really would like someone to be with them whenever possible."

"We are the Auror Office!" Fudge exclaimed, "Not a babysitting centre!"

"I don't see why we can't be both," Moody wryly spoke up.

Fudge glared at him and Moody continued, "I really doubt that the world is going to collapse if we each spend a few hours with the boys. We'll take shifts. Potter can spend as much time with them as possible. But if he can't, Dawlish, Shacklebolt, and I will take over."

John spluttered but quaked under Moody's fiery glance.

Fudge thought about it for a moment before saying, "Very well. But Potter, I don't want you going back there until you complete every bloody scrap of paperwork."

"Yes, sir," Mr. Potter replied.

Thus, Kingsley continued to watch over the sleeping brothers.

The matrons occasionally came in to check Sirius' vitals. At one point, someone pushed in another hospital bed and whispered that it was for Regulus. Kingsley carefully picked the sleeping boy up and set him on the bed, tucking him beneath the covers.

He blinked and sleepily mumbled his brother's name.

"He's here," Kingsley gently said, "His bed is just a few feet away."

Regulus nodded and dozed off once more.

In fact, Regulus only woke up when a nearby clock chimed noon.

For a moment, he didn't know where he was.

Then, everything came rushing back to him.

He sat up and glanced around.

Sirius was still sleeping.

Someone was sitting near Sirius' bed. Their face was hidden behind a newspaper.

"Kingsley?" Regulus asked.

The man jumped and cried, "Blimey, I didn't know that you were awake!"

He threw aside the newspaper and formally said, "I'm Private John Dawlish. I took over Kingsley's shift."

"Oh."

Regulus went to sit up and suddenly froze.

His pants were wet.

"What's wrong?" John asked.

The small boy's eyes stung and his cheeks immediately flamed.

"What's wrong?" John repeated.

"I…I had an accident," Regulus whispered.

"What?"

John sniffed before crying, "Oh!"

The Auror helplessly glanced around before pushing a button on the wall.

A matron raced in and breathlessly said, "Yes?"

"Err…" John awkwardly said, "The boy had an accident."

Fortunately, the matron was quite kind. She showed Regulus the small bathroom that was connected to the room. Regulus cleaned himself up and the matron slipped in a hospital gown and a pair of comfortable sweatpants. He happily changed out of his scratchy dress robes. The matron put the robes in a bag and declared that she would take them to the laundry room. She then asked Regulus if he was hungry.

"A little," Regulus shyly said.

The matron smiled and said, "I'll have another matron bring you lunch."

Sure enough, a few minutes later, another matron entered. She was carrying a try that was piled high with food, though it didn't look very appetizing. The meat was grey, the potatoes were lumpy, and the vegetables looked brown.

"I think I'm going to pop own to the cafeteria to get a bite myself," John spoke up, "I'll be back in just a few minutes."

He slipped out and Regulus sighed.

He wished that he could go to the cafeteria as well.

Yet, even if he was allowed to do so, he didn't have any money with him.

He sighed before perking up.

Something smelled delicious.

A plump woman pushed a trolley past the room.

Regulus squinted and read the small sign: CARE CART.

"Sirius," Regulus excitedly whispered, "Look! Sweets!"

Sure enough, the trolley was piled high with sweets, stuffed animals, and books.

Sirius' eyelids lifted. He drowsily blinked before a smile spread across his face.

The woman smiled and asked, "Anything, dear?"

"Err…do you have Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans?" Sirius asked.

She handed over a box and moved along.

"Can I have some?" Regulus eagerly asked.

"Sure," Sirius chuckled, "Just…let me…open…augh!"

Regulus gasped as he box slipped from his brother's hand. It fell to the floor and the beans spilled out.

"They're probably still good," Regulus pointed out, "Five second rule, right?"

He dropped down before realizing that the floor was covered in dust and dirt.

"Ugh," Sirius gagged, glancing over the edge of the bed.

"I could…wash them?" Regulus desperately suggested.

"Forget it, Reg," Sirius sleepily sighed.

Within seconds, he had begun to snore. Regulus sadly straightened up. It wasn't fair! He hadn't had any sweets in months! Not since his birthday. Sirius was sick! He should be allowed to eat all the sweets in the world.

A feeling of determination washed over the young boy. He would get his brother another box! Yes, that's exactly what he would do. He just had to find the lady with the trolley!

Regulus started forward but stopped in his tracks. Mr. Potter had told him to stay in the room. But this was a matter of sweets! And so, he bravely entered the corridor. He flinched, apprehensively waiting for Mr. Potter to leap around the corner and yell at him. He slowly walked along, keeping his eye out for the kind woman. He finally spotted her at the end of the corridor, entering the lift. He raced forward but it was too late! The doors closed and she was gone. Regulus desperately glanced up at the small half-moon shape above the doors with a needle that was moving along. Four, three, two…it stopped on the first floor*. Regulus stood on his tiptoes and hit the button. The lift came back for him and he bravely entered. He stood on his tiptoes again to hit the button for the first floor and felt his stomach flip as the lift moved. He closed his eyes and refused to open them until a small voice announced that they had arrived.

He quickly raced out and spotted the woman down the corridor.

"Excuse me!" Regulus called, "Excuse me!"

He ran towards her, pulling his cutest face as he gushed, "Ma'am, my brother accidentally spilled his Bertie Botts. I was wondering if I could have another box?"

The woman chuckled and said, "I suppose so."

She handed him a box and he whispered, "Thank you, ma'am!"

He turned around and saw that the lift had gone up to the fifth floor. A thought suddenly occurred to him. He couldn't remember what floor Sirius' room was on! His smile slipped away and he immediately began to panic. What if he couldn't get back? He would be lost in the hospital for the rest of his life! Sirius would wonder what had happen to him. He shouldn't have ever left the room. Mr. Potter had said…

Mr. Potter!

He would know what floor the room was on!

"Hey!"

Regulus jumped and spun around. A security guard was walking towards him. He looked down at Regulus and asked, "What're you doing here, kid?"

"D…do you know Mister Potter?" Regulus shyly asked, "He's an Auror."

The guard frowned and asked, "Why do you need an Auror?"

"Not just any Auror," Regulus corrected, "It has to be Mister Potter! Please, sir?"

He offered the gentleman a sweet smile.

The guard softened and said, "Come with me."

Regulus followed him down to the ground floor and into a large office. A bunch of weird monitors were on the wall, being carefully surveyed by three other guards. A battered couch sat near a fireplace. The guard told Regulus to sit and he complied, still tightly clinging onto the box of Bertie Botts.

The guard took a handful of powder and asked, "Where would Mister Potter be?"

"Umm…" Regulus nervously said, "He said that he was going back to the Ministry."

The guard sharply nodded and threw the powder into the empty fireplace. Regulus gasped as green flames immediately leapt up in the hearth.

The guard took a deep breath and called, "St. Mungo's Security Department requesting the appearance of Auror Potter."

Regulus thought that it was quite absurd for the guard to be talking to the fireplace.

Then, quite suddenly, Mr. Potter emerged from the flames.

"Mister Potter!" Regulus shrieked, "You're on fire!"

"Don't worry, Regulus," Mr. Potter quickly said, "It's just a trick."

Regulus relaxed and Mr. Potter continued, "It's Floo Powder. As long as you do it right, you can go right through the flames and come out in another fireplace."

"Wicked," Regulus adventurously whispered.

"Now," Mr. Potter professionally said, "What seems to be the trouble?"

"I found him in the first floor corridor," the guard explained, "He asked for you."

"I can't remember where Sirius' room is," Regulus bashfully spoke up.

The guard looked shocked, "Well, I could've looked that up for you."

"That's alright, sir," Mr. Potter replied, "I can take him up."

He extended his hand. Regulus hesitated before taking it. The two walked side-by-side down the corridor.

"Sirius' room is on the fourth floor," Mr. Potter patiently explained, "Room 407."

"Thank you," Regulus mumbled.

"Though, I believe that I asked you to stay in the room and not wander off?"

He didn't sound mad; on the contrary, he was quite gentle. And yet, Regulus still hung his head, feeling immensely ashamed.

"I'm sorry," Regulus whispered as they entered the lift, "A woman came in and gave Sirius a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans."

He held up the box as proof. The lift began to move and Regulus closed his eyes once more. Mr. Potter squeezed his hand.

"But he accidentally spilled them," Regulus continued, keeping his eyes closed, "I wanted to get him another box. Because sweets always help when I'm sick."

"Of course," Mr. Potter agreed, "They help me as well."

The lift stopped, Regulus opened his eyes, and they headed down the corridor.

"So, I followed the lady," Regulus went on, "And she was nice enough to give me another box but then I couldn't remember how to get back."

"Quite alright," Mr. Potter said, "I should have told you the room number. It's above the doorway; it would have been impossible for you to see."

"But you told me that I shouldn't leave," Regulus glumly pointed out.

"I did," Mr. Potter agreed, "However, sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures. And I certainly believe that spilled sweets are desperate times."

Regulus grinned as they entered the hospital room.

He immediately saw that John had returned.

The Auror raced forward and cried, "There you are!"

"Yes," Mr. Potter quietly said, "Here, he is."

John flushed and sheepishly mumbled, "Sorry…"

Mr. Potter nodded before glancing at Regulus and saying, "Why don't you wait for Sirius to wake up? And then you can show him your surprise."

Regulus nodded and climbed up into his large bed.

Mr. Potter waved his wand and caused the fallen Bertie Botts to disappear.

"Thanks, Mr. Potter," Regulus whispered.

"You're quite welcome," Mr. Potter replied, "I'll be back in a few hours."

He gave John a reprimanding glance before leaving.

John glanced at Regulus and asked, "Do you want me to read a story or something?"

"Sure," Regulus eagerly cried.

The man waved his wand conjured up a copy of _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_.

Unfortunately, halfway through the first story, the Auror's chin hit his chest and he began to loudly snore.

Regulus didn't really like him. Not as much as Kingsley. And definitely not as much as Mr. Potter. He really liked Mr. Potter. He was kind and funny and gentle and sincere. But still…Regulus wondered if he could really help them. Regulus didn't know if he wanted to be helped. He couldn't imagine leaving their house. His parents would be furious.

His parents were always furious.

Regulus sighed and brought his knees to his chest, curling up in a fetal position. For some reason, his parents had always treated him better than Sirius. He didn't understand why. Regulus had certainly had his share of nights without dinner. He had certainly been yelled at, usually whenever he tried to defend Sirius. He had even been hexed, once or twice. He didn't like to think about it. But what they did to Sirius…especially the last time…

And it was his fault. Mr. Potter said that it wasn't but he knew that it was. He had broken the vase, after all. He didn't know what they had done to Sirius, exactly, but he knew that it had been bad. His brother had been bedridden for three days, moaning with pain, before Mr. Potter had shown up. Why that was yesterday, Regulus realized. It felt like ages ago.

Mr. Potter was the complete opposite of his father. His father was broad with huge shoulders that always threatened to burst out of his expensive dress robes. He had a sleek black ponytail and a sharp goatee. His grey eyes always reminded Regulus of steel. Mr. Potter was tall and bony. His white hair was fluffy and messy—Regulus thought that it looked like a stretched-out cottonball. His eyes were bright blue and crinkled at the edges, as if he was always laughing.

Regulus liked his uniform, too. It was a long, black, military-coat with golden buttons and a golden 'A' on the chest.

And Mr. Potter was so much nicer than his father.

In fact, he was the nicest person that Regulus had ever met.

Well, except for maybe Sirius.

Speaking of…

"Reg?"

Sirius blinked awake and rubbed his eye.

"Sirius!" Regulus cried, "How are you feeling?"

"Good," Sirius mumbled, "Sorry…it has to be boring just sitting there."

"Well, I did have a small adventure," Regulus admitted.

He happily recounted everything.

"Wow," Sirius finally said, "You did all of that…just for me?"

"You do everything for me," Regulus mumbled, "I wanted to do something for you."

"Thanks, Reg," Sirius brightly said.

"You're welcome."

Sirius carefully opened the box and held it out, silently inviting Regulus to take some. He sighed and took a handful.

"What's wrong?" Sirius asked.

Regulus hesitated. He kept thinking about his heartfelt confession to Mr. Potter yesterday and how the elderly wizard had been more than kind.

"He said that it wasn't my fault," Regulus whispered.

"Mm?" Sirius asked through a mouthful of beans.

"Mr. Potter," Regulus tearfully said, "I told him…well…"

He quickly wiped his eyes. He wasn't about to cry again. Not in front of Sirius. He wasn't going to be sad. In fact, the more Regulus thought about it, the more he realized that he was no longer feeling sad. He confusedly processed this new feeling before suddenly realizing that he was mad! He was really mad!

"Why did you do it?" Regulus burst out.

"Huh?" Sirius cried, swallowing the sweets, "Do what?"

"Take the blame!" Regulus furiously shrieked, "Why did you do it!? I was the one who broke the vase! That should be me in that hospital bed!"

He leapt to his feet.

"Regulus!" Sirius sharply said.

"You got hurt," Regulus exclaimed, "Because of me…I don't care what Mister Potter says! It's my fault! I should be the one in that bed."

And suddenly, he was crying again. He didn't understand! A few minutes ago, he had been extremely sad. Then, he had been mad. And now, he was sad once more. Tears reflexively welled up in Sirius' eyes. Regulus didn't know why; he was too young to understand the reflexive misery that children experienced when a child was crying nearby.

At that moment, John jerked awake and cried, "What the…? What's wrong?"

Yet both were too upset to answer.

John exasperatedly waved his wand.

A small silver orb appeared.

"They're crying," John declared.

He then gave his wand a small flick and the orb disappeared. Several seconds later, Mr. Potter promptly Apparated into the room, having received the message.

He took one look at the situation and promptly said, "Boys, what is it? What's wrong?"

Sirius ignored him and stammered, "Reg…Reg listen to me…this isn't not your fault."

Mr. Potter immediately understood.

"Yes…it…is."

"No, it's not!"

"See, Regulus," Mr. Potter said, crouching down, "Sirius doesn't blame you."

"Of…of course I don't," Sirius cried, "I'm just glad that you were alright."

"But I wasn't!" Regulus blurted out.

Sirius and Mr. Potter both gave a start, though the latter was much more subtle about it.

"What do you mean?" Mr. Potter asked.

Could it be that the poor boy had also been injured?

Regulus sniffed before croaking, "I was so scared…"

He raced over to his brother and flung his arms around Sirius' neck.

"I was so scared, Sirius," Regulus repeated.

"So was I, Reg," Sirius replied, returning the hug.

Mr. Potter solemnly straightened up.

John shook his head and muttered, "Five-years-old and afraid for his own life."

Mr. Potter blinked before whispering, "Oh, no…no…he wasn't afraid for himself."

Sirius made a rasping noise as Regulus practically choked him. But Regulus didn't want to let go of his brother. And Sirius didn't want to let go of Regulus either. Even after their tears dried up, the brothers continued to hold each other.

Mr. Potter looked on with a smile.

He then turned to the other Auror and quietly said, "Private, return to the Ministry and send Kingsley along."

John glanced at his watch and said, "My shift isn't over yet."

"Yes," Mr. Potter replied, "It is."

John gave a start before nodding and Apparating away.

A few moments later, Kingsley appeared in his spot.

"Everything okay, sir?" Kingsley immediately asked.

"Everything's fine," Mr. Potter quickly said, "I have a favor to ask of you."

"Of course."

"Would you mind staying here for the night?" Mr. Potter asked, "I would if I could but Fudge wants me to finish up the paperwork and Dawlish is less than competent."

Kingsley's mouth twitched.

"I'll pay you overtime, of course," Mr. Potter quickly added.

Kingsley glanced at the brothers before gently said, "That's not necessary, sir."

*Although the first floor is interchangeably called the ground floor in America, in other parts of the world it is considered the floor above the ground floor.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Sirius was in a great deal of pain.

Still, he managed to chuckle as Regulus curiously poked his chest. Or rather, Regulus poked the strange shape that was on his chest. Sirius had noticed it when changing into a new hospital gown earlier. The boys were now curiously examining it.

"It looks almost like a star," Regulus whispered.

He poked it again and asked, "Does it hurt?"

"No," Sirius lied.

Yet, another poke caused him to wince.

Regulus immediately looked regretful.

"Want me to get a matron?" Regulus worriedly asked.

"Nah," Sirius yawned, "That's alright."

At that moment, the boys were alone.

It had been a week since Mr. Potter had taken them from Grimmauld Place. He visited them whenever possible, as did Kingsley. Unfortunately, they both had apologetically declared that their boss wasn't too happy with the Aurors permanently staying there. That was alright, though. The brothers weren't scared anymore.

Then again, Sirius felt his stomach churn as he stared down at his chest.

Thus, he was quite relieved when Mr. Potter entered their room.

"Hi, Mr. Potter!" Regulus brightly said.

"Hello, boys," Mr. Potter greeted, "Sirius, is your scar bothering you?"

"Is that what it is?" Sirius curiously asked.

Mr. Potter nodded.

"Where did it come from?" Sirius whispered.

Mr. Potter hesitated.

He sat on the edge of Sirius' bed and gently said, "That's where your parents hexed you."

Sirius swallowed.

Mr. Potter put a hand on his arm.

"Can you get rid of it?" Sirius pleaded, "Please?"

"I'm sorry, Sirius," Mr. Potter solemnly said, "Unfortunately…scars that are made by Dark Magic…well…they're permanent."

"Permanent?" Regulus spoke up, "What does that mean?"

"It means that I'm going to have it for the rest of my life," Sirius mumbled, "Doesn't it?"

"I'm afraid so," Mr. Potter agreed, "I'm sorry, Sirius."

Sirius felt a lump form in his throat.

It was so hideous.

"Are you okay, Sirius?" Regulus worriedly asked.

"Yeah," Sirius sighed, "I'm fine."

He was aware that Mr. Potter was carefully observing him.

"Sirius," Mr. Potter finally said, "There's someone that I would like you to meet."

"Who?"

"A friend of mine," Mr. Potter explained, "I'll be right back."

He Apparated away and the brothers exchanged confused glances.

He returned a few minutes later. Sirius and Regulus both gave a start. The man by his side was something to behold. He was heavily scarred. It was as if somebody had whittled his face out of wood and then had added a few unnecessary cuts. The most striking feature was his eye. It was vibrantly blue and twice the normal size.

"Boys," Mr. Potter gently said, "This is Alastor Moody."

"Nice to meet you," Sirius whispered.

Regulus repeated his brother's reply before asking, "Are you an Auror?"

"Yep," Moody proudly said, "I've been working with Lieutenant Potter for decades."

His blue eye swiveled towards Sirius and he growled, "So…got yourself a scar, eh?"

"Yeah," Sirius miserably sighed.

"Don't be so downhearted," Moody cried, "Scars aren't a bad thing!"

Sirius gave him a skeptical glance.

"I mean it," Moody bracingly said, "Look at me! I'm speaking from experience!"

Sirius and Regulus both let out small laughs.

"That scar of yours is a battle wound!" Moody exclaimed, "It's a mark of bravery! You got that scar by saving your brother! You should be proud!"

"Really?" Sirius asked.

"Sure!" Moody snorted, "Hell, kid, you're a hero!"

Sirius beamed.

"I could have told you that," Mr. Potter proudly said.

Sirius' smile stretched and he modestly whispered, "Thanks."

"Besides," Moody added, "The shape's fitting."

"What do you mean?" Sirius curiously asked.

"It looks like a star," Moody pointed out, "And your name's Sirius."

"I told you that it looked like a star!" Regulus triumphantly cried.

"But," Moody continued, "If you really don't like it, you can always get a tattoo."

Sirius' eyes mischievously sparkled and Moody chuckled.

"So," Sirius shyly asked, "How…erm…how did you get some of your scars?"

"Each one has a story," Moody growled, "Wanna hear some of them?"

The brothers eagerly nodded.

"Alastor," Mr. Potter amusedly spoke up, "Try to remember their ages."

"Yeah, yeah," Moody dismissively said.

Mr. Potter visited with them for a while longer before returning to work. Moody stayed behind and eagerly told them about the time that he had wrestled a giant squid.

From that point on, Moody became a regular visitor. Sirius and Regulus had a feeling that Moody's boss didn't like that. However, they also had a feeling that Moody didn't care what his boss thought. The boys didn't care either. They were just as eager to see Moody as they were to see Mr. Potter or Kingsley.

Unfortunately, one morning, Regulus was too embarrassed to be excited by the Auror's appearance. He had just woken up to wet pants.

"Morning, kid," Moody growled.

Regulus didn't answer.

"Oi ,what's wrong?" Moody cried, "Kneazle got your tongue?"

"No," Regulus mumbled, "I…I just…"

They were both distracted as Sirius sleepily murmured, "What's that smell?"

He glanced at his brother and immediately understood.

Sirius lowered his voice and asked, "Did you have a…?"

Regulus quickly shushed him.

"A what?" Moody asked.

"Nothing," Regulus hastily said, "It's nothing."

"Just tell him, Reg," Sirius gently said.

"Tell me what?" Moody cried.

Regulus remained silent and Sirius sighed, "He had an accident."

"Is _that _why you're so upset?" Moody asked.

Regulus nodded and Moody growled, "That's no reason to be embarrassed."

He waved his wand and cried, "Scourgify!"

Regulus blinked as his pants were immediately spotless.

"Better?" Moody asked.

"Yeah," Regulus gratefully admitted.

Nevertheless, his cheeks were still pink.

"I told you," Moody patiently said, "There's no need to be embarrassed by that. Now, do you want to hear a _really _embarrassing story?"

The brothers eagerly nodded.

"The Aurors have a ball every year," Moody explained, "Last year, the Minister decided to make an appearance. Our boss wanted to fit into his old Auror Uniform to impress her. Mind you, it had been years since he had worn it. Needless to say, it was rather tight on him. But he was too stubborn to change. So, he gets up to speak and accidentally drops his wand. He bends down to pick it up and…RIP! His pants completely split. Right in front of the Minister!"

The boys cracked up.

"Breakfast!"

Sirius and Regulus grimaced as a matron brought in two trays.

"What the hell is that?" Moody exclaimed.

The matron blinked before saying, "Pancakes, eggs, and ham."

She set the trays down and left without another word.

Moody stared at the gray food for a moment before growling, "Which is which?"

The boys giggled.

"I dunno," Regulus admitted.

"The food here is really bad," Sirius explained.

"Let's see if we can fix that," Moody thoughtfully said, "Wait here."

"Where else are we supposed to go?" Sirius jokingly asked.

Moody snorted before Apparating away.

The boys played a game of Exploding Snap for a while. Kingsley had been generous enough to give them his deck. Regulus had just singed the sleeve of the hospital gown when three people entered the room. The first person was Moody. The second was Mr. Potter. The third was a woman. She had wispy gray hair that was pulled back into a loose bun. Her hazel eyes also crinkled at the edges and she was giving them a large smile.

"Sirius, Regulus," Mr. Potter gently said, "This is my wife, Elizabeth."

The boys simultaneously cried, "It's nice to meet you!"

"It's wonderful to meet you," Mrs. Potter warmly replied, "Mr. Potter has told me wonderful things. Now, then…Moody said that you needed some breakfast?"

Moody winked.

She pulled a container from the pocket of her cloak.

"I've made you each a Belgian Waffle," Mrs. Potter explained, "And I also have two hard-boiled eggs and some fruit."

"Blimey," Sirius whispered.

Regulus' mouth began to water.

"You…you made that for us?" Sirius whispered.

"Thank you," Regulus gushed, "Thank you, ma'am."

"It was no trouble, dear," Mrs. Potter assuredly said, "I also have some sandwiches for lunch. I'll be back later with dinner. We're having pot roast. Is that alright?"

They speechlessly nodded.

The waffles were delicious, as were the eggs. The fruit was fresh and juicy. Mr. Potter explained that Mrs. Potter had picked it from the trees in the garden.

True to her word, Mrs. Potter returned that night with an abundance of food for dinner.

Mrs. Potter visited them twice a day after that. Mr. Potter usually visited them once in the morning, once during lunch, once in the afternoon, and once at night. Moody and Kingsley stopped in at least once a day. The abundance of company made their stay enjoyable.

And then, one day, a matron announced that Sirius was going to be discharged on Friday.

"What does that mean?" Sirius confusedly asked.

The matron smiled and said, "It means that you don't have to stay here anymore!"

Sirius excitedly gasped.

He turned to his brother but saw that Regulus was still sleeping.

Sirius impatiently waited for him to wake up.

In the end, it was Mr. Potter's gentle knock on the door that caused Regulus to jerk awake. The boy bashfully smiled and mumbled that he had been up all night playing Exploding Snap with Moody. Mr. and Mrs. Potter entered the room and cheerfully greeted the boys.

"Sirius, Regulus," Mrs. Potter gently said, "We'd like to ask you something…"

At that moment, a boy appeared in the doorway. Like the brothers, he had jet-black hair. His hair, however, was messy and stuck up at the ends. His face was freckled and a pair of glasses was perched on the end of his nose.

"Hullo," Sirius cried.

The boy grinned and cried, "Hi, I'm James."

"Sirius," Sirius replied.

"Yeah," James jokingly said, "I'm serious."

Sirius' face broke out into a smirk.

James returned it.

"I'm Regulus," Regulus shyly said, "Do you want a chocolate frog?"

The Aurors had brought them plenty of sweets during their visits.

"Sure," James cried.

"James," Mrs. Potter gently said, "Mind your manners."

James pouted and politely said, "Yes, please."

Regulus handed him one and James thanked him.

He then leapt onto Sirius' bed and cried, "Dad says that you were hurt. He says that you were hexed by some really bad people. Is that true?"

"James," Mr. Potter gently repeated, "Manners."

"Is that true, please?" James joked.

Mrs. Potter shook her head and the Black brothers laughed.

"Yep," Sirius cried, "The matrons say that I was lucky to survive."

"Wicked!" James breathed, "I fell off my broom once and broke my arm. I was only in the hospital for a few minutes though. They gave me a potion that fixed me right up!"

"You have a broom?" Sirius eagerly asked.

James nodded and asked, "Do you?"

"No," Sirius sighed, "I wanted one but there was nowhere for us to fly."

"I have a Nimbus 1500," James bragged, "They just came out last year. If you want…you can take a turn on it."

"Really?" Sirius excitedly asked.

"Sure!"

"Can I?" Regulus eagerly asked.

"Of course."

James hesitated before adding, "Well…what's your favorite Quidditch team?"

"Tornadoes," Sirius and Regulus both replied.

"Yes!" James cried, pumping his fist, "Mine too!"

The three boys grinned at each other.

"So, when're you getting out?" James asked.

"Friday," Sirius happily said.

"How do you know that?" Regulus asked.

"The matron told me this morning," Sirius patiently said, "You were still asleep."

James cocked his head and asked, "So…are you going to go back home?"

Sirius' smile faded. He hadn't thought of that. One look told him that Regulus hadn't thought of it either. Both brothers bewilderedly pondered this. Sirius didn't want to go back. He wasn't even sure if he could go back. In fact, he had the sneaking suspicion that his parents might be in jail. After all, the hexes that they had done were illegal. Perhaps they would go back to Grimmauld Place but they would live by themselves? That wouldn't be so bad. Sirius would have to learn to cook and clean. Unless Kreacher was still there. But what if they didn't go back to Grimmauld Place? What if they were put in an orphanage?

Regulus seemed to have the same thought. Tears formed in his eyes and he anxiously glanced at his brother.

"Actually," Mr. Potter spoke up, "Boys, that's what we wanted to talk to you about."

Both brothers flushed. They had been so focused on meeting James that they had forgotten that Mr. and Mrs. Potter had wanted to ask them something.

Sirius shamefacedly murmured an apology.

"That's alright," Mr. Potter easily said, "Sirius…Regulus…Mrs. Potter and I were wondering if you wanted to come stay with us for a little bit?"

Sirius and Regulus exchanged stunned glances.

Sirius softly spoke up, "You…you mean…at your house?"

They nodded.

"For how long?" Regulus asked.

"A few weeks," Mrs. Potter whispered, "Maybe even a few months!"

It was a moment before the brothers could fully comprehend what they were saying.

"Wait!" Sirius finally cried, "You want us to live with you?"

Mr. and Mrs. Potter both warmly smiled.

"We'd love to!" Regulus squealed.

"Yeah, we would!" Sirius agreed, "Can we go right now?"

Mr. Potter chuckled and said, "We have to wait until you're discharged on Friday. In the meantime, I'll make the arrangements."

"What do you say, James?" Mrs. Potter asked, "Would you like Sirius and Regulus to come live with us?"

"Well…" James pondered, "They like the Tornadoes…so…they seem alright to me!"

Sirius and Regulus beamed.

Things were looking up


	5. Chapter 5

01/10/15 Author's Note: I am _so _sorry for the unexpected hiatus! Between the end of the semester, finals, the holidays, and a small surgery, I simply didn't have the time to upload any chapters! To make up for that, here are three chapters!

Chapter Five

"ARE YOU MAD?"

Mr. Potter flinched as bits of Fudge's spit flew across the room.

"You can't just take it upon yourself to decide where the children are going to go!" Fudge exclaimed, "I let it slide when the oldest child—"

"Sirius."

"—was still injured," Fudge continued, "But now that he's being discharged, the children are going to be sent to live with their aunt and uncle."

Kingsley solemnly spoke up, "With all due respect, sir, I don't think that that's wise. Our sources indicate that Cyngus and Druella are just as nasty as Orion and Walburga."

"I don't care!"

Mr. Potter and Kingsley exchanged glances.

"You…don't care?" Mr. Potter repeated.

"That's not what I meant," Fudge huffed, "Whether or not you disagree with the placement of these children is of no concern! The law places Cyngus and Druella Black as the children's next of kin! Therefore, the children will be sent to live with them!"

Fudge took a deep breath and continued, "Besides, we've done a home evaluation. They have three children of their own. Nothing suspicious turned up."

"Of course nothing suspicious turned up!" Moody exclaimed.

He was standing in the doorway.

He now entered the office without permission and cried, "That whole family knows how to hide their secrets! That's why nothing turned up on Orion and Walburga…except for Sirius."

"And even then," Mr. Potter agreed, "They tried their best to hide him."

"I still think that this is what's best," Fudge argued, "The children will stay at the residence of their aunt and uncle until their parents are released. And _speaking_ of which…"

Mr. Potter refrained a sigh.

"In order for their parents to be released," Fudge quietly said, "They need to be sentenced! It's been two months and they're still in the holding cell. You keep pushing back the blasted trial. The Wizengamot is getting impatient. And so am I!"

"They want Sirius to testify," Mr. Potter explained.

"And?"

"His parents will be in the courtroom."

"_And!?_"

"He's afraid of them," Mr. Potter quietly said, "For a good reason, I might add. Seeing them will reopen an old wound and possibly cause a few new ones."

"What do you mean?"

"Walburga forbade Sirius and Regulus from talking to us," Mr. Potter explained, "That's why Regulus was silent on that first night. We convinced Sirius to open up with the promise that his mother would never know."

Fudge was quiet for a moment.

At long last, he muttered, "Fine. I'll see if you can get another extension."

Mr. Potter sighed with relief and said, "Thank you, sir."

"Dismissed."

"Colonel," Mr. Potter quickly said, "About Sirius and Regulus' living arrangements…"

"Dismissed!"

Mr. Potter and Kingsley saluted. Moody merely jerked his head.

The three ducked into the corridor and headed back to Mr. Potter's cubicle.

"Don't worry, Potter," Moody growled, "You'll get 'em."

"I hope so," Mr. Potter sighed, "That entire family is horrid."

"Speaking of," John Dawlish cried, striding towards them, "Get a look at this!"

He brandished a piece of paper.

"What is it?" Mr. Potter asked.

"It's a rough estimate of the Black's fortune," John explained, "Blimey, I didn't think that it was possible but that lot actually has more than you."

Mr. Potter glanced at the amount and quietly said, "A family's wealth does not come from money, Dawlish."

"Especially when that money's been wrongfully obtained," Moody agreed, "The Blacks have spent centuries building their fortune on the backs of those considered inferior to them."

Their statements seemed to fly right over John's head.

He gave a low whistle before muttering, "So, now that their parents are locked up, those kids are the beneficiaries to the money…"

"No, they're not," Kingsley quickly corrected, "Walburga's brother, Cyngus, is."

"'Shame," John sighed, "That amount of galleons could've really helped them."

"Money doesn't solve everything," Mr. Potter pointed out.

"Yeah…sure," John retorted, "But still…they could have bought an entire mansion with fifty butlers who served ice-cream for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They would have been the happiest kids in the world."

"Sirius was almost killed," Mr. Potter quietly said, "And Regulus was traumatized. I hardly think that money would fix that."

"Hey, kids' minds are simple," John shrugged, "They're easily entertained."

Mr. Potter shook his head and mumbled, "Dawlish…don't ever have children."

John stuck out his bottom lip and stomped away.

"Slippery little eel," Moody muttered, "You can't trust him as far as you can throw him."

"Have you ever thrown him, Lieutenant?" Kingsley amusedly asked.

"Several times," Moody snickered, "And I told you…don't call me that!"

"Yes, sir."

"Don't call me that, either."

Mr. Potter forced a chuckle.

"Don't worry, Potter," Moody seriously said, "We have a few days to figure this out."

"Have you told them that they might not be coming with you?" Kingsley asked.

Mr. Potter shook his head and mumbled, "I didn't want to disappoint them."

Indeed, Sirius and Regulus were very excited.

Sirius had even counted out the hours until he was discharged.

"Now, how many?" Regulus eagerly asked.

"Forty-two," Sirius laughed.

"That long?" Regulus asked.

Sirius nodded.

Regulus sighed and mumbled, "I can't wait that long."

"Neither can I," Sirius agreed, "I'm bored…"

He impatiently drummed his fingers against the railing of the hospital bed.

He finally leapt to his feet and cried, "Come on!"

"Huh?"

"I want to go for a walk," Sirius explained, "Let's go outside."

"We're not allowed to leave," Regulus pointed out.

Yet, he still leapt up and followed his brother.

"We might even be able to make it outside," Sirius excitedly said.

As it turned out, they didn't even make it to the end of the corridor.

"Hullo!"

Sirius and Regulus both screeched to a halt.

A man with rigid blonde curls was standing before them.

He gave them a bright smile and cried, "My name is Richard Skeeter!"

The brothers exchanged glances.

"Nice to meet you," Sirius finally said.

"And you," Richard replied, "What are two nice boys like yourselves doing in the hospital?"

"I was hexed," Sirius mumbled.

Richard gasped and said, "You were hexed!? My goodness…my _goodness_! Who would do such a thing to you?"

"My parents," Sirius murmured, "They…they used the Cruciartus Curse…"

"He has a scar," Regulus added, "On his chest."

"A scar from where they hexed you?" Richard asked.

Sirius nodded and said, "Reg thinks that it looks like a star."

"A star?" Richard repeated, "May I see?"

Sirius hesitated before grabbing the collar of his shirt and tugging.

FLASH!

Both brothers jumped at a bright flash of light.

"Much obliged," Richard cheerfully said, lowering a camera, "If I hurry, I should be able to make the morning edi—"

The rest of his sentence was lost as somebody seized him and slammed him up against the wall. Sirius gasped and Regulus cried out. Richard's camera fell to the ground.

"Boys, come away," Mr. Potter quickly said, "Come along."

He took each of them by the shoulder and backed away.

They realized that Moody was holding Richard several feet above the ground.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE PLAYING AT, EH?" Moody roared, shaking the man by his suspenders, "YOU DIRTY, LOUSY, SON OF A…"

Sirius began to shake.

Regulus gave him a curious look.

"Alright, Alastor," Mr. Potter warningly said.

Moody stomped onto Richard's camera.

"Oi," Richard cried, "You broke it!"

"I'LL BREAK YOUR BONES IF YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT WRITING AN ARTICLE ABOUT THOSE TWO!"

Sirius' heart was thundering against his chest. He felt a lump form in his throat. His breath became ragged. He squeezed his eyes shut and covered his ears.

Moody was screaming…

Screaming…

_Screaming…_

_They were screaming…_

And suddenly, he was no longer in the hospital corridor.

_He was in the corridor at 12 Grimmauld Place._

_His parents towered over him._

_He could hear their hateful screams._

_Screaming…_

_And then, Regulus was the one screaming…_

_Screaming his name…_

"_SIRIUS!"_

"SIRIUS!"

Sirius heard someone whisper, "Stand back, Regulus."

Then, Sirius felt someone put their hands on his shoulders.

"It's okay," Mr. Potter gently said, "It's okay, Sirius. Open your eyes. Come back."

Sirius forced his eyes open.

Mr. Potter was giving him a kind smile.

Moody, Regulus, and several matrons were standing behind him.

Richard had disappeared.

Mr. Potter squeezed his shoulders and said, "You're okay, Sirius. You're safe. You're in the corridor at St. Mungo's. Can you hear me? Very good. Feel the ground beneath your feet and my hands on your shoulders. You're okay. You're safe. I'm here."

He continued to murmur words of comfort.

Sirius' heartbeat and breathing slowly returned to normal.

The matrons began to examine him.

One handed him a purple vial and he drank it without question.

"Better?" Mr. Potter asked.

"Yeah," Sirius croaked, "I…I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Moody immediately cried, "Merlin's Beard, kid, _I'm_ the one who should be apologizing. I didn't mean to…upset you."

"It's okay," Sirius whispered.

Regulus whimpered.

"I'm okay, Reg," Sirius assuredly said, "Honest."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

Regulus sighed with relief before exclaiming, "Mister Potter…who _was _that man?"

"And why was Moody so mad at him?" Sirius added.

Mr. Potter hesitated before truthfully saying, "He was a reporter from the Daily Prophet."

Sirius' eyes widened and he whispered, "Is that why he kept asking us questions?"

"And why he took that photograph?" Regulus asked.

"Yes."

"Quite a few reporters have been interested in the two of you," Mr. Potter admitted, "Which is one of the reasons why I asked that you stay here."

Sirius and Regulus shamefacedly glanced at each other.

Fortunately, Mr. Potter wasn't mad.

Not even slightly.

"Don't worry," Moody assuredly said, "That man won't be writing a single sentence."

The Aurors led them back to their room.

Sirius climbed up onto his bed, feeling exhausted.

"Are you sure that you're alright?" Regulus asked.

"Fine," Sirius mumbled.

He rubbed his stinging eyes and added, "I don't know what came over me back there."

Mr. Potter, Moody, and the matrons exchanged solemn glances.

"No matter," Mr. Potter gently said, "No matter."

It mattered.

Several hours later, when the Aurors returned to the Ministry, they promptly informed Fudge that Sirius had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Fudge stared at them for a moment before spluttering, "T…that's impossible!"

"Impossible?" Mr. Potter repeated.

"He's only six," Fudge cried, "He can't…"

"He's a six-year-old who just went through a traumatic experience," Moody pointed out.

"His Healer confirmed the diagnosis," Mr. Potter added.

Fudge groaned and muttered, "Perfect…"

"Colonel," Mr. Potter quietly said, "I believe that this is the ultimate evidence that Sirius and Regulus should not live with their aunt and uncle. Being amongst other members of his family, in a similar house, will be triggering for Sirius. It's for his best interest…"

"Oh, alright!" Fudge snapped, "But I want you to go down to the MCPS office and file the paperwork. If you're doing this, you're doing this by the book!"

"Yes, sir!" Mr. Potter exclaimed, "Thank you, sir!"

"I suppose that I should send their aunt and uncle a letter," Fudge sighed, "I just hope that they'll be decent about it…"

Moody frowned and muttered, "That family is anything but decent."

oOo

"Wake up!"

Sirius jerked awake at the cold voice.

As his eyes adjusted, he saw that two figures were standing next to his bed.

His gasp was caught in his throat.

It was their Uncle Cyngus and Aunt Druella.

Sirius glanced over and saw that Regulus had also stirred awake.

His brother's eyes widened.

"Get up," Cyngus demanded.

"W…what are you doing here?" Regulus fearfully asked.

"We're taking you with us," Cyngus replied, "Hurry up, now."

"What!?" Sirius exclaimed, "No!"

"We don't want to live with you!" Regulus cried, "We want to live with Mr. and Mrs. Potter and James!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Druella snapped, "Come on!"

"NO!" Sirius shrieked, "GET AWAY FROM US!"

"HELP!" Regulus screeched, "HELP US!"

A matron raced in and cried, "What is going on in here?"

"Leave," Cyngus ordered, "This does not concern you."

The matron blinked and backed out.

"WAIT!" Sirius roared.

"COME BACK!" Regulus frantically added, "COME BACK!"

"Those bastards at the Ministry think that they can take you away," Druella sneered, "A simple piece of parchment isn't enough to say who gets custody of you! Now…GET UP!"

"NO!" Regulus shrieked.

"Enough," Cyngus spat, "Now, you're going to—"

But exactly what Regulus was going to do remained a mystery.

At that moment, a ball of red light hit their uncle's cheek.

The same thing happened to their aunt.

Mr. Potter and Moody raced into the room, the latter lowering his wand.

"Boys, are you alright?" Mr. Potter asked.

They raced over and threw their arms around his waist.

Mr. Potter hugged them and murmured words of comfort. Meanwhile, Moody grabbed Cyngus and Druella. He turned on the spot and the three disappeared.

"They…they wanted to take us," Sirius stammered, "They w…were g…going to…"

Regulus let out a small sob.

"It's okay," Mr. Potter gently said, "You're safe, now."

"I don't want to go with them," Sirius whimpered, "Please don't make us…"

"You won't have to," Mr. Potter assuredly said, "I promise."

Both brothers sighed with relief.

"Why do bad things keep happening to us?" Regulus whimpered.

Sirius' lip trembled.

He had been wondering the same thing.

"I don't know, boys," Mr. Potter admitted.

He crouched down and added, "I know that things seem hard right now. But…I promise you…it's always darkest before the dawn."

"Huh?"

Mr. Potter smiled and explained, "Things are going to get better."

The boys finally managed to smile.

"Come, now," Mr. Potter continued, "Back to bed."

"Can you stay with us?" Regulus asked.

"Please?" Sirius pleaded.

"Of course."

The brothers climbed into their beds and Mr. Potter tucked them in.

They were snoring within minutes.

Mr. Potter smiled and glanced out the window.

The sun was beginning to rise.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"Today's the day!"

Regulus pounced onto his brother's bed.

Sirius laughed and hit him with a pillow.

"Indeed, it is!" Mr. Potter boomed.

He was still sitting by the window.

He had been with them all morning.

"Knock knock!"

Mrs. Potter and James happily entered.

"Good morning, dears!" Mrs. Potter cried, "Well, I suppose that it's almost noon!"

"Morning, Mrs. Potter!"

"What time are you getting out?" James excitedly asked, "Can we leave right now?"

The brothers turned to Mr. Potter, also eager for an answer.

"Not yet, I'm afraid," Mr. Potter replied.

James, Sirius, and Regulus groaned.

"First, we must have breakfast!" Mrs. Potter pointed out.

She reached into her large bag and pulled out a plastic container. Inside was a stack of blueberry pancakes. The boys practically swallowed them whole.

"Delicious," Regulus cried, "_Now _can we go?"

"Not yet, not yet!" Mr. Potter laughed, "The matrons have to examine Sirius."

"Why?" Sirius groaned, "They haven't stopped examining me since I got here! How long have we been in here anyway?"

"Almost two months," Mr. Potter admitted.

"And now you want us to wait even _longer_?" Regulus dramatically cried.

"He that can have patience can have what he will," Mr. Potter gently said, "It's just a little while longer."

Sirius and Regulus begrudgingly nodded.

Thus, several matrons came in.

They bustled about, poking and prodding at Sirius. They used several instruments to check his eyes, nose, and throat. They listened to his heartbeat and examined his scar. They also tested his reflexes and asked him various questions.

When they were finished, Sirius' Healer entered and repeated the process.

"Can we _go _yet?" Sirius impatiently asked.

One of the matrons shook her head and said, "Not until the paperwork is complete."

"Stay here, boys," Mrs. Potter gently said, "It won't be long."

Mr. and Mrs. Potter left with the matrons.

James, Sirius, and Regulus sighed.

"Wanna play a game?" James asked.

Sirius shrugged.

"Sure!" Regulus cried.

"I spy…something…white!" James declared.

"The walls?" Sirius guessed.

"Nope!"

"The ceiling?" Regulus retorted.

"Try again!"

"Err…the floor?"

"Right!"

"My turn," Sirius cried, "I spy something…blue."

"My pants?" James asked.

Sirius shook his head.

Regulus thought about it for a moment before saying, "I dunno!"

"Your tongue," Sirius laughed, "It's blue from the pancakes."

The three played for an hour before Regulus declared that he was bored. They played hide-and-seek for another hour, though there weren't many places to hide in the room.

Another hour was spent jumping on Sirius' bed.

Unfortunately, a matron came in and chastised them.

"How long does paperwork take!?" James moaned.

"Maybe there's a problem," Sirius worriedly said, "Maybe we won't be able to go with you after all! Maybe we…"

"Don't worry, Sirius!" Mr. Potter cried, "Don't worry!"

He entered the room with Mrs. Potter in tow.

"Everything's all set!" Mrs. Potter explained, "Ready to go?"

Regulus whooped and James pumped his fist.

Sirius let out a giggle.

This was it!

They were finally going!

"Here, boys," Mrs. Potter laughed, "These ought to be better than those hospital clothes."

She pulled two shirts and two pairs of jeans from her bag.

Sirius and Regulus ducked into the bathroom and changed.

The clothes were a bit too long on Regulus and a bit too short on Sirius.

They went back out into the room and Mr. Potter waved his wand. The boys grinned as the clothes readjusted.

"That'll do," Mr. Potter cheerfully said, "At least until we can get to Diagon Alley to get you some new outfits."

"Come here, Sirius," Mrs. Potter instructed, pulling a pair of scissors from her bag.

Sirius ran to her and she cut the hospital bracelet from his wrist.

He had been wearing it for the past two months.

It fluttered to the ground and James picked it up.

"'Sirius Black,'" James read, "'DOB…what's a dob…?"

"It means Date of Birth," Mrs. Potter chuckled.

"'October 22nd.'," James continued, "Hey! Your birthday's in just a few days! How old are you going to be?"

"Seven," Sirius explained.

"When's your birthday, James?" Regulus curiously asked.

"March," James proudly said, "I'll be seven, too."

Regulus' brow furrowed as he did the math.

"So," Regulus finally cried, "Sirius is still the oldest!"

Sirius puffed out his chest.

Regulus held out his hand and Mrs. Potter cut off his own bracelet.

"I'm keeping mine," Regulus declared, "It'll be a souvenir."

"A souvenir?" Sirius repeated.

"Yep!"

"Alright, then!" Mr. Potter cheerfully said, "Is everyone ready to go?"

Sirius and Regulus glanced around the hospital room one last time.

Mr. Potter pointed his wand at a tissue box and exclaimed, "Portus!"

The box began to glow.

"Right," Mr. Potter cried, "This is a Portkey! It's quite simple, boys. You simply need to put your hand on it and it'll take us away."

James, Sirius, and Regulus exchanged glances.

"On the count of three," Mr. Potter boomed, "One…"

Regulus whimpered.

"Two…"

Sirius reached over and grabbed his hand. The two intertwined fingers.

"One…"

They each put a hand on the box.

And then, they were being lifted up!

Sirius was sure that they were going to crash into the ceiling.

Regulus closed his eyes and squeezed his brother's hand.

And then, they were falling!

Sirius and Regulus gasped as they landed on their stomachs.

On the bright side, the grass was extremely soft.

James landed next to them, looking just as winded as they felt.

Mr. and Mrs. Potter were the last to land.

They landed on their feet and kindly helped the boys up.

Sirius and Regulus looked around and gasped.

They were standing on a hill that overlooked the countryside.

Large, rolling, hills sat against the sky. The various meadows looked like a patchwork quilt. The reds and oranges on the trees matched the sunset. It was beautiful.

"Come along," Mrs. Potter said, "It's just up here."

The brothers followed the family up a dirt path.

It led right to a wooden fence. Unlike the iron fence that surrounded Grimmauld Place, this gate was wooden and whitewashed. Furthermore, the gate was open.

The Potters' large garden was overgrown, though not in an unkempt way. The grass and shrubs were still dark green. The various plants and flowers were vibrant. Sirius and Regulus had never seen such plants; or such colors! Large trees stretched towards the sky. Sirius wondered what it would be like to climb one. Regulus spotted a rope hanging from one of the branches. He realized that there was a Muggle tire tied to the end. How peculiar!

"There's a small pond out back," Mr. Potter gently said, "As well as a pasture."

And the house itself…

Sirius and Regulus were awestruck.

It was a beautiful stone cottage. Smoke was piping from the chimneys. Golden light was pouring from the windows. They went up onto the wrap around porch, glancing at the wicker porch swing, and Mr. Potter withdrew a key from beneath the Welcome mat. He unlocked the door and gently pushed it open.

They entered a stunning foyer with a high ceiling.

"The door to the left leads to the parlor," Mrs. Potter explained, "The door to the right leads to Mister Potter's study. The door straight ahead leads to the kitchen. The rest is upstairs!"

Two sweeping staircases led up to a small landing.

"James," Mr. Potter cheerfully said, "Would you like to show them your bedroom?"

"Alright!"

James took the stairs two at a time and the brothers eagerly followed.

James pushed open the door at the top of the landing and they entered a corridor.

"Which room is yours?" Regulus curiously asked.

James grinned and beckoned.

They went to the end of the corridor where a spiral staircase led right up to James' bedroom! The room was gigantic! The walls were dark red and the accents were white. A large fireplace was in the corner. A four-poster was against the farthest wall. Two air mattresses sat next to it. Dozens of toys that were scattered on the floor.

"Wow," Regulus whispered, "These are all yours?"

"Well, some of them," James replied, "The rest are in the toy room."

"You have a toy room!?" Sirius exclaimed.

"'Sure do!" James cried, "Come on!"

He led them back down to the corridor and pushed open a door.

The brothers' jaws dropped.

Sure enough, it was a colorful room that was piled high with toys.

"Oooh," Regulus excitedly said.

He picked up a brown stuffed hippogriff.

"Do you want it?" James asked.

"Really!?"

"Sure!"

Regulus excitedly hugged it and murmured, "Thanks…thanks a lot!"

"No problem," James laughed.

"Booooys!"

"Dinner!" James cried, "Come on!"

Sirius and Regulus followed him down to the beautiful chef's kitchen. A table in the corner was piled high with food. A delicious looking roast, a mountain of mashed potatoes, a large bowl of peas, and a pile of golden rolls…

Mr. Potter had put two extra chairs at the table.

"Eat up!" Mrs. Potter cheerfully said.

Sirius and Regulus helped themselves to a bit of everything.

"So, Sirius, Regulus," Mr. Potter cried, "Do you think you'll like it here?"

The boys exchanged glances but didn't say anything.

"Is something wrong?" Mrs. Potter worriedly asked.

"We're allowed to talk at the table?" Regulus whispered.

"Why, of course, dear!"

"Wow," Regulus whispered.

"I'm going to love it here," Sirius cried.

James beamed and asked, "So, Mum, what's for dinner?"

"Brownies!"

"Wicked!"

"Your house elf makes brownies?" Regulus gasped.

James laughed and cried, "House elf? We don't have a house elf!"

Sirius blinked and confusedly asked, "Then…who does the cooking and cleaning?"

"Why, I do!" Mrs. Potter warmly said, "Of course, Mr. Potter and James help!"

"Wait," Sirius amazedly cried, "You mean…all of those meals that you brought us at the hospital…you made those _yourself_?"

Mrs. Potter nodded.

"Wow," Sirius whispered, "Thanks!"

After they had thirds of everything and two brownies, Sirius and Regulus followed the family to the living room. The fire crackled as Mrs. Potter happily read aloud a story from _The Tales of Beedle the Bard._

"This one's my favorite," James whispered.

At long last, Mr. Potter cheerfully said, "Alright…time for bed."

Both Mr. and Mrs. Potter followed the three children to James' bedroom.

Sirius and Regulus were most surprised when they tucked them in and whispered for them to have pleasant dreams. The mattresses were quite comfortable.

Sirius was out in an instant and James was quick to follow. Regulus, on the other hand, wasn't tired at all. He sat up and blinked as his eyes adjusted to the darkness.

He glanced out the window and cried, "Whoa…"

"Whassit?" Sirius sleepily mumbled.

"Look," Regulus whispered, standing up and crossing the room.

Sirius drowsily staggered to his feet and James grunted as he woke up.

"What is it, Reg?" Sirius yawned, joining him at the window.

His jaw dropped as he immediately realized what it was.

Thousands of stars were twinkling against the velvety sky.

"Wow," Sirius whispered.

He and Regulus stood side-by-side, gazing at them in awe.

James gave them a weird look and asked, "You've never seen stars before?"

"Not this many," Regulus admitted.

"You can't really see them in London," Sirius explained.

The brothers stared at the stars for several more minutes.

James finally chuckled and said, "Come here."

Sirius and Regulus exchanged glances before curiously following him.

The three crept downstairs and into the kitchen.

James gently pulled the sliding door open.

They walked, side-by-side, out into the back garden.

Sirius and Regulus craned their necks to stare at the sea of stars above them.

It was breathtaking.

"Boys?"

The three spun around.

Mr. and Mrs. Potter were standing on the porch.

Sirius took a few steps forward so that he was in front of Regulus and James.

"What are three you doing?" Mr. Potter amusedly asked.

"Looking at the stars," Sirius sheepishly said, "We've…we've never seen so many."

"Ah," Mr. Potter cried, "May we join you?"

The boys exchanged glances before eagerly nodding.

Mrs. Potter raced back inside and grabbed a large blanket. She returned and spread it out on the grass. The five lied in a circle and stared at the heavens. Mr. Potter cheerfully pointed out constellations and Mrs. Potter told them stories about each one.

"Look!" James abruptly cried, "A shooting star!"

"Make a wish," Mrs. Potter cheerfully said.

The three closed their eyes.

Regulus tugged Sirius' sleeve and whispered, "What'd you wish for?"

Sirius hesitated before bashfully whispering, "That we could stay here forever."

Regulus grinned and murmured, "Yeah…me too."

Author's Note: I _did _say that it was going to be sappy! In all honestly, a six-year-old and five-year-old probably wouldn't pay so much attention to the house, but for the sake of storytelling, I wanted to describe the details.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Someone was screaming.

Mr. Potter leapt up before his eyes were fully opened. He stuffed his glasses onto his face and practically flew through the house. He burst outside and saw…

A smile spread across his face.

Regulus was screaming with laughter as he wrapped his arms around his brother's stomach. Sirius was beet red from laughing.

The two were riding James' broomstick. They were only several feet off of the ground and were creeping along at a slow pace. In fact, James was walking alongside them. Yet, both of them seemed to be having the time of their lives. Mrs. Potter was sitting on the wicker bench, observing them with a smile.

"Morning, Dad!" James exclaimed.

"Morning, Mr. Potter!" Sirius cheerfully cried, "Look!"

"We're flying!" Regulus squealed, "We're flying!"

"I see," Mr. Potter laughed, "Is it fun?"

"We love it!" Sirius cried.

"It's amazing!" Regulus gasped.

Mr. Potter chuckled and ducked back inside to change.

By the time he came back out, the three boys were joyfully playing tag.

It was amazing to watch Sirius and Regulus.

The boys had been quite pensive and solemn in the hospital.

And now…

Well, he supposed that they had never really had the opportunity to truly play! Growing up in that horrid house with that horrid family…they were probably forbidden to raise their voices or run around or otherwise act like a child.

James, Sirius, and Regulus played for the rest of the day, stopping only to eat meals.

Mr. Potter eventually summoned his own broomstick and flew each boy around the pasture. Sirius and Regulus squealed with delight. As the sun dipped beneath the horizon, the three boys sat on the porch steps and once again stared up at the stars.

On Sunday morning, Mrs. Potter made chocolate scones. After they couldn't eat another bite, the boys showered, changed, and joined Mr. and Mrs. Potter in the parlor. The five were going to go to Diagon Alley. James had been there several times and was shocked that Sirius and Regulus hadn't.

"Are we going to take a tissue box again?" Regulus curiously asked.

Mr. Potter threw back his head and laughed.

"No, no," Mr. Potter finally said, "But we _will_ be taking another Portkey."

He pointed his wand at a flowerpot and cried, "Portus!"

Like the tissue box, the flowerpot began to glow.

"Is everyone ready?" Mrs. Potter gently asked.

James and Sirius determinedly nodded.

Regulus swallowed but also bobbed his head.

He still grabbed onto his brother's hand

"Three, two, one…"

They all grabbed onto the flowerpot and shot towards the ceiling.

Down they went and…

"OOF!"

This time, Regulus landed on his brother.

"Alright, Sirius?" James worriedly asked.

"Fine," Sirius laughed.

Regulus clambered to his feet and Sirius hopped up after him.

They helped James up and looked around.

The five were standing in a small courtyard.

Mr. and Mrs. Potter seemed particularly fascinated with the one brick wall.

"What're they doing?" Sirius curiously asked.

"Looking for the right brick," James explained.

"Aha!" Mrs. Potter cried.

She touched a brick with her wand.

Immediately, the wall began to quiver.

Sirius and Regulus gasped as it transformed into an archway.

They were standing at the end of a long cobblestone road. Quaint little shops lined the street. Wizards and witches were bustling about, happily talking and counting their money.

Sirius and Regulus' necks ached as they excitedly glanced around.

Mr. Potter, Mrs. Potter, and James excitedly pointed out different shops.

"Over there's the Magical Menagerie."

"That's Flourish and Blotts—it's a lovely bookshop."

"And there's Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor! He once gave me ten scoops of ice-cream! I ate it all! 'Had a stomachache for a week!"

"There's Quality Quidditch Supplies!"

"That would be Olllivanders."

"There's the apod…apoff…"

James glanced at his father for help.

"Apothecary," Mr. Potter gently said.

"Yeah, that!" James cried, "It smells really bad in there!"

They also passed plenty of venders in little kiosks.

Mr. Potter bought them each a candy apple.

"First stop," Mrs. Potter cheerfully said, "Gringotts Bank!"

Sirius suddenly felt hot and prickly.

He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.

"What's wrong, Sirius?" Mr. Potter concernedly asked.

"Err…" Sirius slowly said, "We…that is…Regulus and I…we…we have some money…I think…or at least…we did…from birthdays…I think that it's in Gringotts…if…if you want…"

"No," Mr. Potter firmly said.

Sirius and Regulus exchanged glances.

Mr. Potter softened and said, "That's not necessary, boys."

"But…"

"We have plenty of money," Mr. Potter continued, "You don't have to worry. Alright?"

"Yes, sir."

Mr. Potter waited with James, Sirius, and Regulus as Mrs. Potter went into Gringotts.

The three boys sat on a bench, kicking their feet and happily eating their apples.

Unfortunately, Regulus spotted something that caused his smile to slip away.

"Sirius," Regulus gasped, "Look!"

He hopped down and walked over to the mouth of an alleyway.

A crooked sign hung over it:

_KNOCKTURN ALLEY_

"Regulus," Mr. Potter calmly said, "Come away from there."

He had followed the boy.

He now put a hand on his shoulder and steered him back to the bench.

"Kids shouldn't go in there," James explained, "It's really dark and scary and…"

"We've been there before," Sirius glumly interjected.

James looked shocked.

"We went to this shop with our parents," Sirius explained, "Reg got his arm trapped beneath this weird hand."

Regulus shuddered at the thought.

"So, they made us wait outside," Sirius continued, "It was horrible."

Sirius looked up at Mr. Potter and asked, "We don't have to go in there, do we?"

"No," Mr. Potter softly said, "No…we don't shop…there."

Sirius sighed with relief.

At that moment, Mrs. Potter came over and held up a pouch of coins.

"Let's go to Madam Malkin's first," Mr. Potter decided, "We can get them robes."

Thus, Sirius and Regulus bewilderedly spent the next hour standing in front of a mirror as a kind woman bounced around and measured nearly every inch of them.

In the end, Mr. and Mrs. Potter bought them each three pairs of plain black robes. They also purchased two comfortable cloaks. The brothers were dismayed when Mr. Potter announced that they ought to have a pair of dress robes as well. Fortunately, these dress robes turned out to be comfier than their usual dress robes. A _lot _comfier!

"Now," Mrs. Potter cried, "We'll go get your everyday wear."

"Our everyday wear?" Regulus repeated, "What do you mean?"

"There's no need to wear robes all the time," Mrs. Potter pointed out.

They went to a quaint little shop called The Cupboard. The owner turned out to be a kind man who sold Muggle clothing. Mr. and Mrs. Potter bought the boys each ten outfits. Regulus spent several minutes rubbing the material of the pants. Mr. Potter said that they were called jeans. He had never felt anything like it before! They also bought the boys several pairs of comfortable pajamas. Sirius and Regulus were speechless with gratitude.

"Why don't I take them for ice-cream?" Mrs. Potter suggested, "And then you can go get the thing that we discussed."

Mr. Potter nodded and said, "Sounds good!"

Thus, Mr. Potter set off towards a shop as Mrs. Potter led the three boys over to the ice-cream parlor that James had pointed out. She bought them all large cones.

"Thanks, Mrs. Potter," Sirius whispered.

"Thanks a lot," Regulus agreed.

"Not a problem at all!"

Mr. Potter returned several minutes later.

Unbeknownst to the boys, he had quickly Apparated back to the house in order to hide something in the attic. He just hoped that Sirius would like it!

After all, tomorrow was a very special day!

oOo

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Sirius cried out and his eyes flew open.

Mr. and Mrs. Potter had just barged into the bedroom.

"Good morning, Sirius," Mr. Potter exclaimed.

"Happy Birthday, dear," Mrs. Potter warmly said.

"I…err…thank you," Sirius bewilderedly replied.

"Happy Birthday, Sirius," Regulus cried.

He leapt from his mattress and landed on Sirius'.

"Thanks, Reg," Sirius laughed.

"Whassgoingon?" James sleepily murmured.

"Today's Sirius' birthday," Mrs. Potter explained.

"Oh yeah!" James brightly said, "Happy Birthday, Sirius!"

"Thanks!"

Sirius was touched that they had remembered.

"What do you want for breakfast, dear?" Mrs. Potter asked.

"Err…I don't know," Sirius stammered, "Can we have waffles!?"

"Of course!"

The five went downstairs and Mrs. Potter immediately began to cook.

James, Sirius, and Regulus played hide-and-seek until Mrs. Potter called for them.

The breakfast was delicious!

"Thanks, Mrs. Potter!" Sirius appreciatively said.

"You're welcome!"

"And now," Mr. Potter cried, "The best part!"

"The…the best part…?"

Mrs. Potter opened the refrigerator and pulled out a beautiful chocolate cake. Sirius could tell that it had been made from scratch. She whispered a quick spell and lit the seven candles.

Sirius opened his mouth but he could only manage a stammer.

He turned to look at the others and gave a start.

Mr. Potter was holding a large, wrapped, box.

It was a present!

A present for him!

Sirius swallowed a lump in his throat and tried to form a coherent sentence.

It seemed impossible.

Finally, he croaked, "You did…you did all of this…for me?"

"Of course," Mr. Potter cried, "It's your birthday!"

"Do you want to open your present or eat cake first?" Mrs. Potter asked.

"I…I…"

"Open the present!" James cheerfully suggested, "Open the present!"

Sirius managed to nod.

Mrs. Potter handed it to him and he unwrapped it with shaky hands.

His jaw dropped.

It was a broomstick!

"It's a Nimbus 1500," Mr. Potter explained.

"Just like mine!" James cried.

Sirius couldn't find the words.

But it was okay.

The Potters understood.

Author's Note: In my other story, Sirius had a really horrible seventh birthday. So, I wanted to make it up to him!


End file.
